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Field Developments in Eastern Ukraine and Escalation of Russian Attacks
Russia announced on Sunday that it has taken control of two additional villages in eastern Ukraine: Pedobne in Donetsk and Sobolevka in Kharkiv, according to an official statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry via its Telegram channel. The ministry said that the Russian armed forces “liberated” these villages in new operations along the frontline, as Russian forces have been advancing for more than a year, taking advantage of the shortages of troops and equipment faced by the Ukrainian army.
Before the conflict, the village of Pedobne was estimated to have around 500 residents and is located just seven kilometers from the border of Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine. Sobolevka is located about two kilometers west of the town of Kobyansk and is considered an area outside the territories controlled by Russian forces, according to maps published by the American Institute for the Study of War.
In a security development, the Russian army launched new drone attacks overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, with multiple reports confirming several strikes in the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that it intercepted and destroyed 120 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Sea of Azov during the night.
Regarding the situation in Kharkiv, the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, confirmed there were explosions, and local officials reported fires breaking out in several neighborhoods of the city, which resulted in injuries to a 46-year-old woman.
In southeastern Ukraine, the military governor of Zaporizhzhia, Oleh Sinehopov, reported that the area was targeted by drone attacks, resulting in damage to private facilities, warehouses, and agricultural fields, with fires breaking out; however, no reports of direct casualties have been received.
In Mykolaiv, the city’s mayor, Oleksandr Sienkievich, said that air sirens sounded after a series of explosions coincided with an air strike. The same scene was repeated across Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Sumy provinces, which also experienced frequent siren activations.
It is worth noting that the Russian-Ukrainian war has been ongoing for more than three years, with escalating attacks from both sides and repeated targeting of cities. In a related context, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that air defense systems managed to destroy and intercept 120 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and the Sea of Azov during the night.
In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that Russian air defenses shot down four Ukrainian drones heading toward the capital yesterday, Saturday. Consequently, flights were temporarily suspended at one of the major airports before resuming later, amid assurances that emergency teams were working on the area.
